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Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game of Shadows ***.5/5 Directed by: Guy Ritchie Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Jared Harris, Noomi Rapace Two years after their first major big screen outing, Holmes and Watson are drawn into a mysterious chase across Europe, leading the unconventional sleuth and his companion to the ultimate showdown with their most villainous nemesis, Professor James Moriarty. When the Crown Prince of Austria is found dead, suicide is suspected. But when Holmes’ only lead seems to come from a mysterious gypsy named Sim (Noomi Rapace), he has no option but to call upon the help of his globe trotting brother Mycroft, (QI genius Stephen Fry), and becomes entangled into an epic game of wits as Moriarty finally reveals himself. It’s hard to believe 2 years have passed since Guy Ritchie paired together Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man) and Jude Law (Hugo, Contagion) as the latest onscreen incarnation of the famous Baker Street detectives.  Downey Jr’s chequered past riddled with drugs and alcohol fits together well with Holmes’ favoured use of opium and other mind expanding pills, so the odd dropping of the cut glass accent is soon forgiven in place of bloody fisticuffs and a penchant for urban camoflage (read: disgusing yourself as the living room wallpaper). With the main cast aside, Noomi Rapace (known to millions as hacker Lisbeth in Swedish hit thriller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) is woefully underused as Sim, the french gypsy who first assists Holmes. Her role is to essentially offer the occasional bit of advice albeit in a cryptic way; she is also often seen to be doing little other than eating and/or drinking. Stephen Fry is a choice piece of casting as Mycroft, and is a delight to watch despite what little screen time he has. Fry also provides some of the film’s comic relief,  often taking a pop at his brother’s odd name (“come along, Shirley..”). However, the real piece de resistance comes in the shape of Jared Harris as Holmes’ most famous nemesis, Moriarty. Since the release of the last film, there was intense speculation surrounding who would fill this role for the duo’s fabled defying fight at the Reichenbach Falls, and it turned out to be no less than the son of the late, great British actor Richard Harris.   With a running time of 129 minutes, Ritchie can be forgiven in asking his audience to wait as he ups the ante in terms of action, explosions and slo-mo fight scenes. Whilst Steven Moffat reboots Holmes for the small screen this January on the BBC, Ritchie is well and truly in charge of the cinematic Holmes and Watson; here’s hoping they return for a third! Zoom

Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game of Shadows ***.5/5

Directed by: Guy Ritchie

Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Jared Harris, Noomi Rapace

Two years after their first major big screen outing, Holmes and Watson are drawn into a mysterious chase across Europe, leading the unconventional sleuth and his companion to the ultimate showdown with their most villainous nemesis, Professor James Moriarty.

When the Crown Prince of Austria is found dead, suicide is suspected. But when Holmes’ only lead seems to come from a mysterious gypsy named Sim (Noomi Rapace), he has no option but to call upon the help of his globe trotting brother Mycroft, (QI genius Stephen Fry), and becomes entangled into an epic game of wits as Moriarty finally reveals himself.

It’s hard to believe 2 years have passed since Guy Ritchie paired together Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man) and Jude Law (Hugo, Contagion) as the latest onscreen incarnation of the famous Baker Street detectives.  Downey Jr’s chequered past riddled with drugs and alcohol fits together well with Holmes’ favoured use of opium and other mind expanding pills, so the odd dropping of the cut glass accent is soon forgiven in place of bloody fisticuffs and a penchant for urban camoflage (read: disgusing yourself as the living room wallpaper).

With the main cast aside, Noomi Rapace (known to millions as hacker Lisbeth in Swedish hit thriller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) is woefully underused as Sim, the french gypsy who first assists Holmes. Her role is to essentially offer the occasional bit of advice albeit in a cryptic way; she is also often seen to be doing little other than eating and/or drinking. Stephen Fry is a choice piece of casting as Mycroft, and is a delight to watch despite what little screen time he has. Fry also provides some of the film’s comic relief,  often taking a pop at his brother’s odd name (“come along, Shirley..”). However, the real piece de resistance comes in the shape of Jared Harris as Holmes’ most famous nemesis, Moriarty. Since the release of the last film, there was intense speculation surrounding who would fill this role for the duo’s fabled defying fight at the Reichenbach Falls, and it turned out to be no less than the son of the late, great British actor Richard Harris.  

With a running time of 129 minutes, Ritchie can be forgiven in asking his audience to wait as he ups the ante in terms of action, explosions and slo-mo fight scenes. Whilst Steven Moffat reboots Holmes for the small screen this January on the BBC, Ritchie is well and truly in charge of the cinematic Holmes and Watson; here’s hoping they return for a third!


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